Hints that Sirus would die

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 75840

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "scooting2win" 
<scooting2win at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff Bannister" 
> <gbannister10 at a...> wrote:
> 

Geoff:
> > Yes, but I think this was JKR having one of her word games with 
> place 
> > names as with Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley and Durmstrang etc.
> > 
> > It has already been pointed out that Grimmauld Place is "Grim Old 
> > Place". I wonder whether this was put into JKR's mind by the fact 
> > that she started writing the book when she was in Edinburgh and 
> this 
> > city is sometimes nicknamed "Auld Reekie" by the Scots.
> 


Lori:
> and what were the word plays on the others? I missed those, here we 
> have a river we lovingly call "Big Muddy". So I guess that happens 
> every where one lives, or visits. Lori

Geoff:
Diagon Alley is from "diagonally" - you notice HP calls it that in 
the COS film when he uses Floo powder at The Burrow, Knockturn Alley 
is from "nocturnally".

Durmstrang is quite a clever one. There was a style of drama and art -
 Beethoven was an exponent - called "Sturm und Drang" = storm and 
stress. JKR has spoonerised this to get the school name. Beauxbatons 
also means "lovely wands". JKR is quite cleve and mischievious with 
her names. I can imagine her sitting, tongue in cheek, thinking "what 
name can I think up to amuse the observant?"